Since being elected in 2019, I am proud to have delivered for all my constituents – young and old.
To support young people, in 2022 I started a campaign to lean on companies and other organisations to provide work experience placements to young people at local state schools in the constituency after the pandemic significantly reduced work experience placements as more people worked from home, yet they are vital - particularly for disadvantaged young people who lack connections and need to develop the skills employers look for. I asked schools to put forward the young people - ensuring at least some are from disadvantaged backgrounds - and I matched them to employers. I was delighted that we secured over 40 offers of placements with many employers across the constituency taking part including Hachette UK, Rebellion, Astroscale, ELS and Oxford Sigma.
I was happy to lead by example and have hosted many local young people for work experience in my Parliamentary office throughout my time as an MP. In 2023, I welcomed local young people to do work experience in my office for every single month that Parliament was sitting.
In 2023, I hosted an Apprenticeship Fair in Didcot which featured many local and national employers and welcomed 400+ local young people from schools across the constituency to understand the apprenticeship opportunities available to them.
I visit a school almost every week to hear from pupils and take their questions, am proud to be a patron of great local charities like Team Mikayla and SecretSanta365 (both founded by young people) and have supported young people like Niamh Dernie from Wantage.
I am also proud to serve as Children’s Minister under this Conservative Government which is delivering the largest ever investment in childcare. Thanks to this Government’s reforms, English primary school children are the best readers in the Western World and 88% of schools are now rated good or outstanding - up from 68% in 2010 under Labour.
For older people, I hosted a Pensioners Fair in Wantage to bring together some of the key local and national organisations such as Age UK Oxfordshire, the October Club and Vale Community Impact which provide advice and support to older people. I have been fighting for our AEAT pensioners and secured an investigation by the National Audit Office, which led to a Parliamentary Inquiry. Ahead of all this, I met with the Chair of the Committee to push for redress.
I was proud to secure a new Government trial to promote Pension Credit in the Vale of White Horse, which can provide a significantly amount of additional money to those on lowest incomes. I also regularly visit organisations that support older people including Grove Day Centre and volunteer with the Didcot Good Neighbour Scheme almost every week.
Thanks to this Conservative Government, the State Pension was increased by the largest amount ever last year and the second largest amount ever this year.
I keep fighting for all my constituents in Parliament.
You can see more about my campaign by clicking on the links below.
